"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others.
Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill.
787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three
counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Porten, Richard H. head of the R. H. Porten General Merchandise Co., of Pelican Lake, and proprietor of the Khaki Boat Club, was born in Cato, Manitowoc County, Wis., March 3, 1895, son of John and Sarah (MEEHAN) PORTEN. The father, a native of Wisconsin and for many years a prominent real estate dealer in Manitowoc, is now deceased. The mother, a native of Ireland, is still residing in Manitowoc. Richard H. was first educated in the public schools in Cato, Wis., being graduated with the high school class in 1915. He then attended the Oshkosh Normal School. After that he learned telegraphy in Antigo, Wis., and in 1917 came to Pelican Lake, Oneida County, since which time he has been night operator for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, except while he was in the army. In 1918 Mr. PORTEN became a member of the Khaki Boat Club, in which he bought an interest, boats being rented out for hire. In 1920 he secured the entire interest and operates it as a commercial enterprise, being the sole owner. He has ten row boats and two launches; he also has charge of the rental of cottages on Pelican Lake and furnishes guides for tourists. In 1922 he established the R. H. PORTEN Mercantile Co. at Pelican Lake, carrying a complete line of staple groceries. His war record is as follows: Englisted in April, 1918, at Chicago, in the Air Service and was sent to Rantoul, Ill., where he remained a short time; later went to Camp Grant, at Rockford, Ill.; then to Menola Field, L. I., where he was an instructor in wireless telegraphy. On Sept. 17, 1918, he sailed from New York, subsequently landing in Liverpool, England, where they remained four days, and then shipped across the channel to La Havre, France. From there he went to Bordeaux, where he remained six weeks, his next stopping-place being Tours, where he was stationed until Nov. 11, the date of the signing of the armistice. He returned to the United States, Feb. 9, 1919, and was discharged Feb. 28, 1919. Mr. PORTEN is a young man who is practically at the beginning of his career, but he has already shown ability and in the natural course of things may be expected to enjoy a prosperous future.